[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF JULIE A. SU

  Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise to share with my colleagues and with 
our country my enthusiastic support for Julie Su, my gratitude for her 
ongoing work as Acting Secretary of Labor, and my support for President 
Biden's nomination of Julie Su to lead the Department of Labor.
  Throughout her career, Julie has worked tirelessly to level the 
playing field for American workers as an advocate for trafficked 
garment workers, running our Nation's largest State-level labor 
department.
  Two years ago, this Senate confirmed her to serve as Deputy Secretary 
of Labor. And as Deputy to Secretary Marty Walsh, Julie helped lead a 
resurgence in workforce training: expanding apprenticeships in in-
demand industries like trucking, teaching, and cyber security; building 
pathways to jobs and advanced manufacturing and clean energy technology 
and semiconductors; ensuring that our country has the workforce we need 
to meet the needs of our economy and ensuring that those jobs are good 
jobs.
  Julie has now led the Department for 5 months and has continued her 
focus on creating good jobs, empowering workers, and enforcing our 
labor laws.
  Last month, she worked tirelessly to help avert a strike at our west 
coast ports, bringing labor and management together to reach an 
agreement that kept our ports up and running and our economy moving 
forward.
  This is the kind of leadership that we need on labor issues, in the 
Department of Labor and across our country. Someone who will persevere 
through difficult, tense negotiations. Someone who will work through 
challenging issues and drive outcomes that are good for workers, 
businesses, and our country.
  Julie has done this hard work even while facing unwarranted attacks 
on her record--a coordinated campaign of misrepresentation about a 
dedicated public servant. I am confident that her toughness and drive 
to serve will allow her to endure this opposition and continue to do 
right by the American people and American workers.
  In her time as Deputy Secretary, and now as Acting Secretary, Julie 
Su has proven to this Senator and to the Senate as a whole that it was 
wise for President Biden to nominate her and for the Senate to confirm 
her 2 years ago.
  I urge my Senate colleagues to once again support Julie Su and 
empower her to lead the Department with the experience, expertise, and 
deeply held values she brings to the job.

                          ____________________